Elderly man trampled to death by wild elephant in Mayurbhanj

Baripada: In yet another case of human-animal conflict in the State, an elderly man was trampled death by a wild jumbo in Machhua village under Morada block of Mayurbhanj district today.

The deceased has been identified as Gajendra Mohanta (75) of the same village.

Gajendra who was the president of Forest Protection Committee had been to his farmland near Asanbani forest early this morning when the pachyderm attack took place. An elephant from a herd of 15 Jharkhand pachyderms which had sneaked into Betnoti Forest Range last night attacked him to kill on the spot.

Forest officials rushed to the spot and sent the body of the deceased for autopsy immediately.

The incident has sent shivers down the spine of villagers who have demanded forest officials’ attention.